ANTHONY MINOTT, PORTMORE STAR Writer
ANTHONY MINOTT - Portmore Flames' Jermaine Mascoe (left) dribbles past Tivoli All Stars Jermaine Brown during the teams KFC/bmobile sponsored National Basketball League (NBL) match at the Stadium court on Tuesday. Tivoli Gardens All Stars won the match 75-55.
LAST YEAR'S SEMI-FINALIST Portmore Flames suffered a defeat in the first match of the season when they lost 75-55 to Tivoli All Stars in a repeat of last season's semi-final match-up in the KFC/bmobile National Basketball League.
The game was played at the Stadium court on Tuesday.
For the game, three Flames players went into double figures. Newly signed Dave McGowan top-scored with 16 points which included two baskets from the three-point arc as well as two rebounds. He got support from Kenardo Smith with 14 points and eight rebounds while Andre Coote chipped in with 11 points. Dunken Brown led Tivoli with a game high 18 points, shooting nine of 18 attempts from the field, and grabbed 12 rebounds in the process. Dunken's team-mate Damion Young added 11 points and 12 rebounds while Omar Barnes dropped in 10 points.
Flames played the game without three of their top players. Karim McFarlane is off on a basketball scholarship overseas, while defender Christopher Sancroft is off on his honeymoon and offensive threat Ryan Peddlar has migrated.
As a result of this weakness, the Flames found themselves being muscled off the boards. Tivoli using size and a good running game to their advantage out-rebounded and out hustled the Portmore Flames, as Tivoli pulled down 50 rebounds to Flames 27.
Tivoli led from the start taking the first quarter 16-7 then pushing to 38-26 at the half-time break, then 57-43 in the penultimate quarter, and closing the game with an 18-point spurt to Flames 12, coming out on top by 20 points.
Flames have another difficult assignment tonight at 8:00 when they tackle St. George's Slayers who are the defending champions.
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